The Saint Paul Almanac is pleased to announce the seventh in its 2012–2013 season of acclaimed Lowertown Reading Jams, which celebrate the rich literary history of Minnesota’s capital city.

The “(K.)N.E.W. MN Youth Poetry Slam Team” Lowertown Reading Jam takes place on Wednesday, April 24th, 2013 from 7 to 8:30 p.m. at the Black Dog Coffee and Wine Bar, 308 Prince Street in Saint Paul. All ages, no cover, donations accepted. Food and beverages for sale. This presentation of the popular and eclectic series presents the six youth poets that will be representing our state in the international Brave New Voices Youth Poetry Slam Festival in Chicago this August!

On Friday, March 29th at In the Heart of the Beast Puppet & Mask Theater in South Minneapolis, the state of Minnesota and TruArtSpeaks chose the six youth poets in front of a crowd of over 175 supportive community members. The team has been identified as Mika, Ramaj, Donte, Laresa, Luke, and Kayla.

About TruArtSpeaks

TruArtSpeaks has been an active organization in the Twin Cities since 2006. TruArtSpeaks utilizes elements of hip-hop, spoken word, and the arts, to encourage literacy and develop leadership in the communities we serve, supporting a generation of vibrant young voices as they make their claim on the world. We provide a platform for youth to find, develop, study, and share their stories in safe spaces. TruArtSpeaks dares participants to give back and become agents of the change they seek.